OH MY GOSH. I have literally thought to myself /repeatedly/ over the last few weeks “I really hope Small Things Growing writes a book! I need that book!” Your writing makes me cry, your insights so valuable and powerful (no pressure 😅). Thank you for writing.
Wow this comment humbles me. I sure hope I can deliver! I will say, while I don't know what this says about me as an author, I definitely texted Soumeya after re-reading this draft of whatever it is I've written (it was supposed to be chapter summaries and ended up being like half the book?) that the transition from the end of my final chapter into my epilogue made me CRY SO HARD. And she said, "I can't wait to cry!!!"
Just here to say I will happily read anything you write, no matter how polished, how insightful, how earth shattering. I was so excited to see your post pop up in my email just now and am eagerly awaiting the publication of your book. I adore your writing, all of it. Keep it up!
Signed, a mother of three and aspiring midwife who has spent her summer grappling with the idea that I may be done having babies (my youngest turned one in July) and managing my grief around that.
PS If you’re looking for writing topics, I would be curious to hear more about your own experience with this - how you felt with only three children, wanting a fourth but not having one due to time/circumstances, getting pregnant unexpectedly after so much time had passed, and now knowing for sure that your family is complete. Has there been grief around any/all of that for you and how have you navigated it?
I loved reading this! Thanks for putting it out there in the world. Lucas turns *three* today so you're on my mind of course. What I've been up to this summer is packing and moving again, worrying about fertility and wondering about having another kid, trying to just make space for whatever new is coming in my new location.
Up until I recently subscripted to your substack, I've primarily read your writing via social media. I have a longterm dream to divorce my consumption of news and indie writing from such platforms that farm us for revenue. I'd delight in reading your writing in really every form and am happy to delve into the archives of your substack soon - so needless to say, I'd definingly read your book.
Read this in bed while nursing my 3 month old and aching from pain due to having blocked milk ducts AGAIN, which is a lot of what I've been doing this "summer" (which is mostly just called "dry season" where I live but has the same feel of picnics and possibility when not in pain). Through the brain fog I wondered "what would I say if I could think clearly enough to comment on this?" Here's what drifted up: "Nothing else I've ever come across by way of the internet has made me think and feel as much as Robina Khalid's writing". And then I thought what it might be like to read an actual BOOK of yours, and gasped. Thank you for "just writing". Please continue! :)
Write anything and everything and I will read it! Less polished is amazing - I truly loved reading it. Thank you so much for your presence ❤️❤️❤️ Also echoing all the book excitement!!
"And that internalized pressure just makes me stay away longer." - I felt this part deeply. On a much smaller scale, this has too often made me hold off on responding to a friend's email, or delay messaging a formerly close person to reconnect. I mentally coin it email bankruptcy... Where every day that goes by without writing means I feel the bar for what I have to send rises yet again, until it is insurmountable and I give up on that thread of connection. Now, when I realize I'm doing it, I often just send something, anything. Other than prepping for birth of baby 3 and having an amazing summer with baby 1 and 2, that's a thing I've tried a lot of this season. And it's worked so well! Turns out nobody was counting how long it took me (much like how nobody watches how I dance - a lesson I luckily learned earlier than this one, but still too late in hindsight 😂)
This honesty is so refreshing and real. And wow, what a wonderful thing to feel certain about your heart’s project.
This summer I’ve been reprogramming from the 8-5 office mindset to stay-at-home parenting, a wildly different pace and structure. I’m also trying to write! Not for anyone but me, but I have a juicy long-term idea. I’ve been intimidated (by what? Whom? I cannot say) to start and so I particularly like this “what if I just write” question.
Thank you for sharing what you've been up to, which I think is SO EXCITING. I want to hear more!
I'm so grateful for you sharing that this felt "refreshing and real." I need more permission to just show up and write even when I know it won't be brilliant. :)Thank you.
OH MY GOSH. I have literally thought to myself /repeatedly/ over the last few weeks “I really hope Small Things Growing writes a book! I need that book!” Your writing makes me cry, your insights so valuable and powerful (no pressure 😅). Thank you for writing.
Wow this comment humbles me. I sure hope I can deliver! I will say, while I don't know what this says about me as an author, I definitely texted Soumeya after re-reading this draft of whatever it is I've written (it was supposed to be chapter summaries and ended up being like half the book?) that the transition from the end of my final chapter into my epilogue made me CRY SO HARD. And she said, "I can't wait to cry!!!"
Just here to say I will happily read anything you write, no matter how polished, how insightful, how earth shattering. I was so excited to see your post pop up in my email just now and am eagerly awaiting the publication of your book. I adore your writing, all of it. Keep it up!
Signed, a mother of three and aspiring midwife who has spent her summer grappling with the idea that I may be done having babies (my youngest turned one in July) and managing my grief around that.
PS If you’re looking for writing topics, I would be curious to hear more about your own experience with this - how you felt with only three children, wanting a fourth but not having one due to time/circumstances, getting pregnant unexpectedly after so much time had passed, and now knowing for sure that your family is complete. Has there been grief around any/all of that for you and how have you navigated it?
This means so much to me, truly. And yes, I could totally write about that!!
I loved reading this! Thanks for putting it out there in the world. Lucas turns *three* today so you're on my mind of course. What I've been up to this summer is packing and moving again, worrying about fertility and wondering about having another kid, trying to just make space for whatever new is coming in my new location.
Thank you for the updates! I always love hearing from you, Maya.
Up until I recently subscripted to your substack, I've primarily read your writing via social media. I have a longterm dream to divorce my consumption of news and indie writing from such platforms that farm us for revenue. I'd delight in reading your writing in really every form and am happy to delve into the archives of your substack soon - so needless to say, I'd definingly read your book.
Thank you for this vote of confidence. Welcome!!!
Read this in bed while nursing my 3 month old and aching from pain due to having blocked milk ducts AGAIN, which is a lot of what I've been doing this "summer" (which is mostly just called "dry season" where I live but has the same feel of picnics and possibility when not in pain). Through the brain fog I wondered "what would I say if I could think clearly enough to comment on this?" Here's what drifted up: "Nothing else I've ever come across by way of the internet has made me think and feel as much as Robina Khalid's writing". And then I thought what it might be like to read an actual BOOK of yours, and gasped. Thank you for "just writing". Please continue! :)
That thought you thought brought me to tears. What a thing to say. Wow. Thank you.
Write anything and everything and I will read it! Less polished is amazing - I truly loved reading it. Thank you so much for your presence ❤️❤️❤️ Also echoing all the book excitement!!
Yay!!! These comments mean the world to me.
"And that internalized pressure just makes me stay away longer." - I felt this part deeply. On a much smaller scale, this has too often made me hold off on responding to a friend's email, or delay messaging a formerly close person to reconnect. I mentally coin it email bankruptcy... Where every day that goes by without writing means I feel the bar for what I have to send rises yet again, until it is insurmountable and I give up on that thread of connection. Now, when I realize I'm doing it, I often just send something, anything. Other than prepping for birth of baby 3 and having an amazing summer with baby 1 and 2, that's a thing I've tried a lot of this season. And it's worked so well! Turns out nobody was counting how long it took me (much like how nobody watches how I dance - a lesson I luckily learned earlier than this one, but still too late in hindsight 😂)
It's definitely an appropriate lesson to learn at ANY time. We are often our own worst critics.
This honesty is so refreshing and real. And wow, what a wonderful thing to feel certain about your heart’s project.
This summer I’ve been reprogramming from the 8-5 office mindset to stay-at-home parenting, a wildly different pace and structure. I’m also trying to write! Not for anyone but me, but I have a juicy long-term idea. I’ve been intimidated (by what? Whom? I cannot say) to start and so I particularly like this “what if I just write” question.
Thank you for sharing what you've been up to, which I think is SO EXCITING. I want to hear more!
I'm so grateful for you sharing that this felt "refreshing and real." I need more permission to just show up and write even when I know it won't be brilliant. :)Thank you.